1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transferring messages between devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to transferring SyncML (Synchronization Markup Language) messages from a source device via a mobile terminal device to a third device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data synchronization between terminal devices is an issue in which each vendor has traditionally had their own proprietary solution. Each vendor developed their own synchronization protocol as well as internal data representations for each application. Due to the proprietary nature of such systems, the products of different vendors have been unable to communicate with each other without specially designed single purpose converters.
These non-interoperable solutions have complicated the tasks of users, manufacturers, service providers, and developers. Furthermore, the proliferation of different proprietary data synchronization protocols have placed barriers to the extended use of mobile terminals and has restricted data access and delivery and limited the mobility of the users.
In view of the above, several mobile terminal manufacturers joined together into an organization to create a new industry initiative to develop and promote a single, common, data synchronization protocol, namely, SyncML, that can be used everywhere, by every device or terminal and in every application.
SyncML is a common language which has been developed for synchronizing devices and applications over any network. SyncML leverages XML (Extensible Markup Language), that is, a SyncML message is an XML document, and with SyncML, network information can be synchronized with any mobile device or terminal and mobile information can be synchronized with any networked application or applications. With SyncML, any personal information, such as e-mail, calendars, to-do lists, contact information and other relevant data, etc., will be consistent, accessible, and up-to-date, no matter where the information is stored. For example, a calendar entry made to a mobile device or terminal on a business trip is equally available to a secretary in the network calendar.
At present, the SyncML standard contains three different transport alternatives for sending SyncML messages. These alternatives are HTTP (Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol), WSP (Web System Protocol), and OBEX (Object Exchange Protocol).
While each of these alternatives are usable, they all have the same defect, namely, all of these alternatives require the use of a continuous data connection between the mobile device or terminal and the network.
Furthermore, there are personal portable server devices presently available which only have short range connection capabilities, such as IR (Infrared) or Bluetooth. Accordingly, at present, they are unable to synchronize data with remotely located terminals which are out of their limited communication range.